Actual Conversation had with my husband regarding my birthday plans:

Me: “What time do you think Midnight bowling starts?”

Husband: “Um, I’m thinking Midnight?”

Me: “No, I think it starts at 11.”

Husband: “No, no I’m pretty sure Midnight bowling starts at Midnight.”

Me: “I’m looking at the website and it’s from 11pm -2am…Oh! And also it’s called Cosmic Bowling.”

So yes, for the third year in a row we’re keeping the tradition alive and we’re going to go bowling for my birthday! Yay! I love it, especially when we get the lanes closest to the bar

And I just called to make sure there wouldn’t be a prom after party like there was last year. And there isn’t, so yay! Birthday plans are a go!

*kisses*

Smiley Count:2

• New Ozzy Banner! I’m sorry I’ve been late the past two months but I should be on time for June and July since I already have some ideas in mind. And I actually have July’s head piece. Score!

• For the past couple of paychecks my husband and I have noticed that our online banking statement shows we have more money than our check register. I know that most people would think, ‘Sweet, money!’ but I had to figure it out. I finally sat down last night with the past two statements and a highlighter and went to town. After about 30 minutes I found the glitch. Because some bills need to be paid by check or in one lump sum my husband and I put aside a certain amount each paycheck and label it ‘holding’, that way we can go ahead and subtract it and we’re good about not spending it. When the next paycheck comes in or it’s time to pay that bill we take it out of holding, add it back into our checking account and either pay the bill or set aside a larger amount as holding for the next week. Well, last month when we went to Louisiana I set aside $30.67 for our Time Warner Cable Bill. And it never got taken out of it’s holding state, even though we’ve since paid our TWC bill. I can’t for the life of me figure out why we weren’t flipping out about not having that money, but the fact of the matter is, now we have a paid TWC bill and $30 extra in our checking account!

• Did any of that make sense or is it just showcasing how insane my husband and I are about our bills?

• I know I’ll be even happier with having extra money in my bank account when that damn tax rebate comes in! Why did we choose this year of all years to not select direct deposit? Bah!

• My birthday? Is in 4 days. I’ve been surprisingly calm about it so far but my body on the other hand is trying to tell me that I am not, in fact, calm about turning 25. All this week I’ve been lethargic, tired, cranky, my stomach has been in knots, etc. I’ve always been excited about my birthdays, this one is no exception, but it’s starting to be really difficult to be excited about something that is causing me so much duress leading up to it.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 2

In a week I’m turning 25. Wow.

One of my coworkers told me not to think of how I’m going to be a quarter of a century old but to think of all I’ve accomplished in the past 25 years and how much more I’ll accomplish in the next 25. I think that’s a pretty good way to look at this impending birthday so I’m going to take that advice and look at what I have indeed accomplished in the past 25 years and make a list of the things I hope to accomplish in the next 25.

• I was born. A feat in itself.
• I learned to walk.
• I learned to talk…and haven’t looked back since!
• Learning to talk led to learning to sing.
• I learned to drive.
• I graduated high school.
• I survived my 21st birthday. And that wasn’t easy.
• I graduated college.
• I fell into debt.
• I’ve become an adult, an adult with a cleaning schedule.
• I’ve had and excelled at 3 adult jobs.
• I’ve adopted two puppies who needed me.
• I met my soul mate.
• I married my soul mate.
• I’ve transitioned into marriage.
• I’ve put myself on a debt pay off schedule.

Things I wish to accomplish in the next 25 years:

• I plan to have two beautiful kids. No more, no less. I told my husband that I don’t plan on being outnumbered.
• I plan to get out of debt completely, except for good debt, of course.
• I plan to buy a house and make it a home.
• I plan to celebrate my 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th wedding anniversaries.
• I plan to be well on my way to retirement.
• I plan to watch my children grow into wonderful individuals. Because I’ll teach them all of the good values and none of the bad.
• I plan to volunteer at community theatres.
• I plan to be the “cool” mom whose house is always filled with rambunctious children and teenagers.
• I plan to chaperone every field trip my children go on and will be the mom whose group is always requested.
• I plan to live happily ever after.

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 2

I am feeling so much better today! I still have a headache but my outlook is better. Though honestly, it seemed like the majority of people I ran into yesterday (online and in real life) had the same gloomy outlook. We’re always so connected!

Why am I feeling so much better today even though I still have a headache? Well, it’s not Monday anymore. That’s definitely a start.

But it’s also April! I don’t know why, but I absolutely love April! Maybe it’s b/c April means it’s truly Spring…even if the weather sometimes doesn’t reflect the new season.

April means I only have one more month before my birthday month! I always countdown to my birthday, and probably always will. I love growing older for some very strange reason. It doesn’t really scare me. (Even if I do have a category that indicates differently)Plus I have a way cool birthday this year. It’s the birthday where I can finally rent a car! Woot!

April has its downsides of course. For example it is still raining and it is slated to rain all week and into the weekend. But I don’t mind. Why? B/c it’s April and “April Showers bring May flowers” that’s why. May is such a beautiful month and it’s not beautiful without the help of April and it’s constant precipitation.

Also, as a North Carolinian I am simply not allowed to complain about too much rain. After being in a drought for ages (longer than the writer’s strike I do believe) we are slowly coming out of it. I suspect the water restrictions will all be lifted before May.

Just so they can be put in place again when we have yet another dry summer.

So I’m in a great mood today and I suspect most of you are as well.

So tell me…why are you in such a great mood today?

*kisses*

Smiley Count: 3

Today, as most of you know and some of you may not, is Ash Wednesday. Today marks the beginning of Lent which is representative of the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus wandered the desert resisting temptations from Satan himself. Today is the day that people will give something up for 40 days. And try as they might, most fail.

Even though I’m not Catholic I always try to give something up for Lent each year. For multiple consecutive years my sacrifice was to not bite my nails. If anyone has seen me in person you know that I have never succeeded at that, hence the multiple, consecutive tries.

Some use the Lent season to kick-start a diet. And what better time? Take your favorite greasy, nasty, bad for you food and say “I will go without for 40 days.” That’s cool. And it’s a way to revist your New Year’s Resolution that you gave up 3 weeks ago.

Most children will give up candy. That’s actually a smart move since the end of Lent is Easter. And who doesn’t love a good visit from the Easter Bunny? (side note-I can actually tell you why we have the Easter Bunny and why we hide eggs in celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. But that is kind of deep and besides this post’s ultimate point.)

Those three things I just mentioned? Have been my sacrifice for every Lent for my entire life.

But this year is different. This year I’m giving up something and I’m giving it up for good. This will go far past the end of Lent and will go with me for the rest of my life.

This year? I’m quitting smoking.

Yesterday, February 5, 2008 was the day I had my last cigarette. I think I will always remember that date. I may even inscribe it in the bottom of all of my ash trays, since some of them are too pretty to throw away. And sometimes you need positive and pretty reminders.

You may think that I am doing this rashly. That it’s too hard to quit cold turkey. But I’ve got help.

I’ve got a book that informs me, among other things, that I am ready to quit since I already smoke .3 to .5 milligrams of nicotine with each cigarette, the lowest you can buy in a cigarette that’s not already designed to help you quit smoking.

I don’t think I’ve ever been addicted to the additives. I think I’ve been addicted to the habit. I’m the “I’m bored, I guess I’ll smoke” or “I’m stressed, I need to smoke” smoker. I’ve never been the shaky, “I need a cigarette now or I will kill someone” smoker.

I’ve got a plastic cigarette to help my oral fixation and the need to get away from stress and breathe deeply. It comes with it’s own plastic tube carrying case and it allows me to breathe deeply while not inhaling any harmful substances. In fact, all it is, is a hollow plastic tube colored to make it look like a real cigarette.

I’ve got a hypnosis CD that will either be played all day on a loop or thrown out the window b/c it’s too cheesy and/or annoying.

But most of all I’ve got support.

I’ve got my husband who is also quitting. I’ve got my RLBFF Amelia who promised she’d quit with me. I’ve got my IBFF’s Margarita and Each who might have jumped up and down clapping their hands and exclaimed “YAY!!!” when I told them my plan.

And I’ve got you, my lovely freaders. I need all the support I can get. Check in on me. Encourage me. Not just today, but as frequently as you can. Will you do that for me?

I’d really appreciate it.

Now, tell me, what will you sacrifice for Lent?

*kisses*

I should repeat that mantra continuously the next time I decide to have a weekend like the one I just had.

It’s strange. I never put two and two together (equals 4, btdub) before now but my husband and I are the oldest of our group of friends. (Well technically he’s the second oldest and I’m the third oldest but for the sake of this post lets just pretend like we’re the oldest.)

I’ve never realized this before b/c I’m kind of stubborn when it comes to growing up and I think subconsciously I’ve made friends with younger people so that I can refrain from growing older.

The problem is? My body doesn’t care how young my brain thinks it is. It doesn’t care how young my friends are. Growing older is a fact of life and I should just get used to it.

Why the sudden decree that I feel like an old fogey? Two of my friends turned 21 this weekend.

I remember my 21st birthday…kind of. I know I went to 8 bars. I know I got numerous free drinks. I know I only spent $15 mostly on food to sop up all the alcohol. I also remember starting at 4pm and being in bed by 11:45pm. Even at 21 I couldn’t match up with some other people my age who stayed out all night on their 21st birthdays. So what makes me think I can do that at 25?

Friday night I did pretty well, considering. We went to eat Japanese then ended up at Hooters and then somehow made it to my favorite hole in the wall where I impressed more people with my amazing ability to sing all 4 parts to Lady Marmalade.

But Saturday morning? My body was like ‘Dude, I don’t think so. Why don’t you take a breather?’ And I was in bed until 1pm.

But I had to be up and at ‘em by 4 b/c my friends had a kegger planned. Yes, a kegger. I hadn’t been to a kegger since I graduated college. I just knew that one of two things was bound to happen.

1. I would want to be back in college
2. I would feel really old

And in an odd way both things ended up happening.

I always feel like I have to be the coolest at the party. Especially when I only know a few people. I have to impress everyone. I may have succeeded and then ultimately failed.

I can still rock a beer pong table. But I cannot rock it the way I could before. I used to play back to back games for hours in my college days.

Now? I played a few back to back and then passed out.

At 9:30.

I am nothing short of amazing.

*kisses*

***mild disclaimer*** I know that some of my wonderful readers are older than I am and would still consider 25 young. Which is true. But to me, it’s the oldest I’ve ever been.

***also, I’m not even 25 yet. I don’t turn 25 until May. I just start rounding up my age when my birthday is less than 3 months away.